Improved rail wat-car brake



J. J. KISER.

Railway Gar Brake.

No. 96,240. Patented Oct. 26, 1869.

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Letters Patent No.

96,240, dated October 26,1869.

IMPROVED RAILWAY-CAR BRAKE.

v The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom it may concern 7 Be it known thatI ,Jaoon J. Krssn, of Middletown, in the county of Henry, and State of Inr'iana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Brakes; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Eigure 1 represents an elevation of the end of the body and truck of an ordinary car, showing the hand and foot u brake-levers in the position they occupy when not in position 'to apply the brake.

Figure 2 represents a similar elevation, the hand and foot-levers being in the position they occupy when the brake is applied. p

Figure 3 represents a plan or top view of one of the trucks of a car, the toggle-joint, and its several connecting-levers and arms, being in theposition they occupy when the brake is applied.

Figure 4 represents a similar, view, the parts occupying-the positions when the brake is-released.

Figure 5 represents an inverted view of one of the trucks of a car, the several parts occupying the position shown in fig. 4.

Figure 6 represents a cross-section of the central timbers of the truck, showing the vertical doublearmed studs.

In the accompanying drawings, the body A of the car is supported upon two trucks, B, arrangedat either end thereof, which may be of the ordinary construction, and connected to the car by the usual bolts 0, so as to allow them to turn with the curve. of the track.

The horizontal brake-bars D are arranged in the usual manner, and carry the rubbers c at the ends thereof, so that they may he broughtin contact with and released from the periphery of the wheels of the truck, when operated by the brakiug-rncohanisin.

o the central horizontal conuectiug-tir nbers E of the truck, [secure two cross-plates F, to the projecting ends of which are affixed vertical studs 11, which carry, at their upper and lower ends, oppositely-projecting arms 0 d. 1

To the ends of the lower arms cl are connected the inner ends of two horizontal rods G, which latter are secured, at their outer ends, to the horizontal brakebars D, by means of two screw-nuts e, fitted upon the said connecting-rods G, which are provided with screw-threads, so that the nuts 0 may be turned to and thus regulate them, to compensate for the wear of the rubbers or brakeblocks, and when the nuts are thus adjusted, they form a perfect lock'ot' the connecting-rod G with the brake-bar.

The upper arms cof the vertical studs 1) are connected to a horizontal connecting-rod, f, by meansof two short arms 9, in such manner as to constitute a single toggle -joint, located and arranged directly above the central horizontal timber E of the cartruck.

The opposite end of this toggle-joint connectingrod f is united to a vertical crank-arm, I, on the end of a horizontal rock-shaft, J, located and fitted within bearings directly beneath the body of the-car, and arranged parallel with the length thereof, so that its other end extends beyond the end of the car, and carries another crank-arm, K, arranged at right an gles to the crank-arm I.

To the projecting end of this rock-shaft I avertical hand-lever, L, is secured, which, the drawings, extends above the body of the car, and is fitted to move between a guide-rod, h, and the end of the car, at the top, so as to move from one side thereof to the other, while one side of the guide is provided with a ratchet-plate, .M, located on one side of the car, into the teeth of which the said handlever L, when brought over to that side, is rude to bite, and thus lock it in whatever position it may be brought in braking the cars.

The mechanism, thus arranged as described, is complete for a hand-lever brake; but-,in connection therewith, I have arranged alsoa foot-lever brake, to be operated simultaneously therewith.

The mechanism of this foot-lever brake consists of a horizontallever, N, hinged to the end or platform of thecar, having a short and .a long arm, the former of which is united to the outer crank-arm K by a link, 1', while to the latter is connected a vertical rod,

P, which extends, like the hand-lever, above the top Q of v the car. v

Its upper end is provided with a foot-hold or socket, p, and it is held in position by guides r, at the top arr'd.bottom of the car,- which permit itto rise and fall freely. r

The handdever L is located near the centre of the end of the car-,while the foot-lever Iis placed at the side, next the ratchet-plate M, and the two, thus arranged, act simultaneously to effect the braking of the cars. p

This is an important feature,hecanse' it. has been found, that even under ordinary circumstances, the hand-lever is not etfectual, but, by the union of the two, so that the one may be operated by the hand, by the pulling strength of the brakeman, at the same instant the full weight of his body is united to that of his strength, and a double power is obtained.

When the brake is not in action, it will be. seen that'the hand-lever L occupies a position at one end of its guide, while the foot-lever P is at the opposite side oi the car. In braking the cars,- therefore, it is as represented in the extreme end of the notched plate M, and the brake is perfect.

In thus operating the brakin -mechanism, it .will be seen that the hand L and the foot-lever P both unite in elevating the outer crank-arm K, which turns the rock-shaft J, so as to throw the imlercrank-arin I toward the toggle-joint g, and through the rod j,

connecting the two, force the toggle-arms g to assume a parallel position, or nearly so, which, through the armsc of the vertical studs b, causes the brake-bars to approach each other, so that their rubbers bear upon the wheels with a sudden and powerful force. While in this position, the hand-lever is lockedwith the ratchebplate M, by reason 0612116 inclinatidn of the teeth, into which the lever fits, andthe attendant may release his footfrom the foot-lever, and leave the haud-leverin its locked position. 7

In releasing the brake, the hand-lever is simply thrown out of its lock with the ratchet-plate M, and

the spring. of the brake-bars will carry it over to its position at the opposite end of its guide, and at the same time elevate the foot-lever. I

In this position of the several parts, the brakingbars are held away from thewheels without the use of springs, or any other device, simply by the. inclined position of the lever, which, in connection with its weight, is also snfiicient to hold the foot-lever up, in the proper position to brake the cars.

It is obvious that this braking-mechanism may be applied to either end of the car, if desired.

Having thus described my invention,

1. The combination of a hand-lever, L, with a footlever, P, when arranged to operate simultaneously, to rotate the shaft J, substantially as before described.

2. A hand-lever, L, arranged to move in the are of a circle, and a foot-lever, P, arranged to move verti' cally, when the latter is connected by the intermediate lever N, with the double cranked rock-shaft J, substantially as before described.

3. The foot-lever P, when arranged to operate the hand-lever L, so as to bring the latter toward the lever P, and within the grasp of the attendant, in braking the cars, substantially as before described.

4. The combination and arrangement of the doublecrank rock-shaft J, with the single toggle-joint g when the latter is located between the central timber E of the truck and the body of the car, and connected to the brakingdmrs by the double-cranlced studs b, substantially as before described.

5. The con'ibination of the double-cranked rockshnft J, the single toggle-joint g, with its eonnectingrod f, and the hand and foot-levers L I, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as before described.

6. The arrangement of the hand-lever L, in connection with the double-cranked rock-shalt J, in such manner, that when the brake is released, the weight of the hand-lever L, and its inclined position, will not only keep the brakes from the wheels, but the hintlever l elevated, ready for action, substantially as before described.

JACOB J. KISER. Witnesses: l

T. H. UPPERMAN, A. E. H. JOHNSON. 

